Youthful Indiscretions
by InosBane
Summary: His first few months in Konoha were a bit, ummm...wild. Now that Kankuro has cleaned up his act, he's set his sights on getting to know Ichiraku Ayame. Teuchi is dead set against it. Can Yoshino use her *matchmaking skills* to help the Puppet-Nin?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm going with Ichiraku as Teuchi and Ayame's last name. I've done some extensive searching, and can't find one for them.  
The reference to lightening comes from personal experience. It can happen with someone you don't necessarily know very well but have a strong attraction to...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anyone/thing in this story (except a few random OC's)

**Chapter: 1**

Ichiraku Teuchi closed the door and ran a tired hand across his brow. It had been a busy day. Even Tsunade-sama had sent for a bowl of tonkatsu ramen. One could even call it a good day. One **would** call it a good day, at least until that Suna shinobi showed up. Teuchi snorted as he sat down in his favorite chair. Him with his hood and that kabuki paint, trying so hard to distract Ayame from her work. They say his specialty is chakra controlled puppets, well, Ayame is no puppet to be controlled!

Teuchi was used to shinobi flirting with his daughter. Even Uzumaki Naruto tried it once or twice, but this time...this time was different. Ayame was responding to the desert rat's attention, and Teuchi was **not** pleased. He'd heard the stories of the drunken Sand Nin stumbing around Konoha at all hours, encouraging the local shinobi to follow his example. Threatening his students at the academy. Frankly, he'd been surprised that the Hokage hadn't taken more action against him for that, but he was the Kazekage's brother. The alliance with Suna was important. That fact didn't impress Teuchi, he was not going to allow his daughter to be alone with that boy, nor would he allow her to be a pawn in a political relations game.

"No, no, no, I promised you I would raise her right." he yawned. The ramen cook drifted off to sleep where he sat, a picture of his dead wife in his hands. Ayame, meanwhile, was in her room humming and smiling.

It had been a busy day, but a really good day. Especially when Kankuro-san showed up for lunch. He told the funniest stories about his students and about life in Suna. Not for the first time, she wondered what he actually looked like without the hood and paint. Maybe one day she'd ask what color his hair was. He was really such a nice, funny person. A bit like Uzumaki Naruto, just nowhere near as hyper. She was glad he was adjusting to life in Konoha, it must be hard being away from everyone and everything he knew, but after a few months he seemd to settle in. Ichiraku Ayame drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face, looking forward to the next day.

o-o-o

The next afternoon, Sabaku no Kankuro sat at his desk watching his students as they copied down notes about the different hand signs. They weren't so bad really, his students. Of course that might have something to do with the fact that he no longer came to work with a hangover. They could thank Ayame for that, he smiled. The kids seemed to notice him doing that alot more lately. Not the smirk he wore when he threatened to lock them up in Kuroari, but a genuine smile. He remembered the first day he'd gone without threatening them, they had asked him what was wrong and he'd smiled. Ayame was a big part of the reason behind that too. Although meeting with a furious Hokage and getting a letter from an enraged Temari helped. When given the option of shaping up and getting to stay in Konoha where he could see Ayame everyday, or going home and facing Gaara and Temari, Kankuro had opted to behave.

His stomach rumbled as he looked at the clock. Five more minutes and then he was free! He got up and crossed the room to the door.

"Okay," he addressed the class. "If you've got this copied down you can go. Remember that the difference between tora and hitsuji may be slight, but mixing them up will negatively affect your outcome in a battle."

A few faces colored as the students gathered their things.

"Those two were difficult for me too, so I speak from experience."

Matsumoto Haruki looked at his sensei wide eyed. Seeing that Kankuro wasn't joking, he smiled. Kankuro smiled back.

"Practice them tonight, I want to see improvement tomorrow."

The students nodded as they left class. When the final straggler made his way outside, Kankuro gathered up his own papers and made his way to the ramen bar. He was going to order the largest bowl possible and eat it slowly. He wasn't planning on meeting anyone today, so he could take his time and devote all his attention to Ayame under her father's watchful glare.

He knew that Ichiraku Teuchi disapproved of his fondness for Ayame. He reasoned that the Ramen Cook had probably heard about his drunken episodes. He'd also probably heard about his reputation with some of Konoha's "friendlier" ladies. He shook his head, there was nothing he could do about it now. He hoped that in time Teuchi would come to see an improvement in him, and chalk up those first months of stupidity to youthful indiscretion.

"Bah," he smirked, now he sounded like Gaara's buddy Lee. Youthful this, youthful that. "The sweet bloom of youthful indiscretion!" He laughed to himself as he caught sight of his destination. There was Ayame, and yep, there's Teuchi. Already with the glare. Kankuro raised his hand in greeting to Teuchi who turned his head as the Sand Nin parted the curtains and sat down.

o-o-o

Ayame didn't have to look up from the vegetables she was chopping to know, she felt a lightening bolt go up her spine. It had been that way since the first time he'd come to the ramen stand with a smirk upon his lips and eyes full of mischief. How long ago was that now? Lately she didn't even have to see him, just his being close caused electricity to flow through her body. That, and her father's "harumph" confirmed for her that Sabaku no Kankuro had arrived.

"Konnichiwa Kankuro-san" she said barely looking up from her vegetables. "Are you hungry?"

"Famished," he replied trying to catch her eye.

She finally relented and looked up. Black eyes met brown and for an instant she was breathless. She wanted to push back the hood and finally see the color of his hair. Did he have blonde hair like his sister, red like his brother, or something else entirely? She checked the urge like everyother time and instead smiled.

"Do you know what you'd like to have, or do you need a moment?"

He grinned. Did she realize how loaded a question that was?

"Hai, I'd like the largest bowl of black pepper beef ramen you have."

Teuchi wanted to vomit watching the two interact.

"Otou-san, " Ayame turned to her father, but Teuchi cut her off.

"I heard," he grunted. It was proof of Teuchi's pride in his reputation as a world class ramen cook that his hand didn't "slip" and over pepper the dish. Especially when he noticed that Kankuro was speaking so softly that Ayame had to stop what she was doing and practically lean over the counter to hear him. He watched them laughing together and how Ayame's eyes sparkled when she looked at the desert rat. She looked just like her mother.

"Ayame!" The girl visibly jumped. "The vegetables will not chop themselves!"

"Hai Otou-san," she replied and went back to work.

"Here," Teuchi growled setting the bowl a bit too roughly in front of the shinobi. Broth splattered on his shirt.

Teuchi saw the eyes darken for a moment, but the boy said nothing except "Arigatou Teuchi-san. Your reputation is well earned, I know this will be excellent."

Teuchi grunted and went back to cooking. Of course the food would be excellent. His ramen was well known throughout the Hidden Villages, he didn't need the approval of some spoiled desert rat. He had all the approval he could ever want from every shinobi here in Konoha, and none of them covered their face in paint or wore hoods. Well, except for that Aburame kid, and he never really came by, so he didn't count.

Ayame peeked over at Kankuro while she chopped. Her father was ruder than normal today. He met her eyes and smiled, she smiled back and then resumed her chopping. There was that lightening again!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Possibly an odd pairing, but I'm working along the premise of opposites attracting, and as typical with my stories, The Language of Flowers **Snowdrop**: Hope

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone/thing in this story except a few OC's

**Chapter: 2**

That evening, Kankuro sat alone going over papers in the apartment he shared with Nara Shikamaru. The Shadow Nin was off on a mission, leaving Kankuro with the responsibility of seeing that the rosemary plant Temari had given him didn't die. It had literally taken his sister and Shikamaru **years** to figure out their feelings for eachother, and another few months to actually do something about it. They'd been "together" for eight months now, and Kankuro wondered when the lazy ass would bite the bullet and pop the question.

Then there was his good friend, Inuzuka Kiba. He and Haruno Sakura were still getting to know eachother, and only really got to see eachother between missions. In both instances, Kankuro noted, there was no overprotective father to contend with. Though Shikamaru could argue the point that two nosy brothers, one being an ex-psycho killer, were plenty enough to deal with. The early days of his sister's relationship were still the cause of much laughter, for Kankuro and Gaara at least.

He had a feeling that if the decision was up to Ayame, she might agree to a date. But her father hated him. Kankuro sighed, this wasn't the first time in his life he'd seriously jeopardized something that could be good by having done something really stupid. The worst part, was that this time, the father in question didn't seem like the type to forgive youthful indiscretions. He wished he had someone that Teuchi could respect in his corner. Having a Kazekage for a brother might be enough for some people, but Teuchi didn't seem to care who he was related to. Kami, that Nara must really be rubbing off on him if he's sitting here trying to strategize his love life.

The only older adults he knew in Konoha were a few of the teachers at the academy, and he wasn't quite in their good graces yet, having threatened his students and all. Then there were the Naras. He'd gone over to their house with Shikamaru a few times, and Yoshino had always been happy to see him. She'd even made a point of telling him that since he was practically family, that he was welcome to come over whenever he wanted, with or without her lazy son. Remembering that made him think of his own mother. Would she have been like Yoshino? He and Temari had been so young when she died, Kankuro really had no memory of her other than the photographs he'd seen. Her smile, her laugh, her personality, all were unknown to him.

Kankuro shook himself, he really had no time for thoughts like that. She was dead, there was nothing he could do about it. However, when it came to Ayame, and fixing things with Teuchi, the Nara clan **was** one of the oldest in Konoha, perhaps one of them had some advice on how to proceed with the situation...

He looked at the clock. He had about half an hour before the Naras sat down to dinner. If he hurried, he might get more to chew on than just ideas.

o-o-o

"Kankuro-chan!" Nara Yoshino threw the front door open and hugged the Sand Nin. "Have you heard from Temari-chan? You're just in time for dinner! Good thing too," she gave him the once over. "You look thin!" She grabbed his arm and led him in the house.

"We're having nikiujaga, go wash your face and hands," she pointed to the bathroom as she went back into the kitchen.

When Kankuro was finished washing up, he found Shikaku setting the table.

"So, what brings you here Kankuro-san?" The older shinobi asked. "Tired of bachelor food?"

The two men laughed. Now that he was here, he wasn't quite sure how to bring up the situation with Ayame and her father. He shifted from one foot to the other.

"Kankuro-chan, come sit down," Yoshino set a large pot on the table before turning to him. "What's wrong with you?" She placed a hand on his forehead. "You don't feel warm," she mumbled taking his pulse.

He could feel Shikaku's eyes on him, and knew they were waiting for an answer.

"I'm fine Obasan," he smiled. "Ojisan is right, I just needed something other than my own cooking."

She looked at him skeptically before chucking his chin.

"Well then, come eat. We can't have you wasting away on us."

Kankuro shouldn't have worried about how to talk to the Naras. After inquiring about his sister, Kiba, and Sakura, Yoshino reminded him of what a "vital" role she'd played in their relationships. Then she asked him if he or Gaara needed her help with any young ladies.

Shikaku rolled his eyes. After meddling around a few times, his wife suddenly saw herself as a matchmaker. He said a quick prayer that the young shinobi was still enjoying bachelorhood. His hopes were dashed by the look on the Puppet Nin's face.

"Actually, there **is** a girl I've grown fond of, but I don't think her father will ever allow it."

Yoshino beamed. Shikaku slumped in his chair. He could see the gears in his wife's brain moving at top speed. He didn't think she'd be satisfied until everyone in Konoha and Suna were paired up.

"And who is the lucky girl to have caught the eye of Sabaku no Kankuro?" Yoshino cooed. "If it's Hinata-chan I can talk to her mother. Her father may be a boar, but her mother is sensible."

Kankuro blushed.

"No Obasan, It's not Hyuuga Hinata. It's actually Ichiraku Ayame."

"Nan de sute?" Shikaku had been leaning back in his chair. There was a clatter as he lost balance and fell over.

"Ichiraku Ayame? No wonder you're having trouble with her father. What does he say about this?" Shikaku asked getting back in his chair.

"Nothing much. Not to me at least, the most I can get out of him is a grunt or a growl." The young shinobi's shoulders slumped.

The announcement had startled Yoshino for a minute. She would have never pictured Kankuro and the ramen waitress. But then she smiled, and reached across the table and patted Kankuro's hand.

"Don't you worry Kankuro-chan, leave this to me. Teuchi-san just loves his daughter, and he worries about her. But you are a good boy, we'll make him see that. His wife and I were good friends, I'm still friends with his sister-in-law. Don't you worry, Obasan will fix this."

Her hand was warm, and in that instant, Kankuro couldn't understand why Shikamaru constantly referred to his mother as a pain.

o-o-o

Over the next few days, the Shadow Nin's reasons became perfectly clear.

First, she insisted that he leave the apartment and come stay in Shikamaru's old room. She and Shikaku would act as his hosts and be responsible for him while he was in Konoha. She told him it would reassure Teuchi that Kankuro was an honorable young man no matter what he'd heard. The Nara name still had it's own amount of clout afterall.

Since Shikamaru wasn't due back for another week, Kankuro had to bring the rosemary plant with him. When he set it in the kitchen window Yoshino raised an eyebrow until he explained that it was a gift to her son from his sister. Yoshino burst into tears stating that Temari had saved her son from a life of lazy indifference. Kankuro nervously patted her shoulder while she sobbed, not used to such displays of emotion. When Shikaku walked in the door and nodded questioningly at his wife Kankuro just shrugged.

o-o-o

"Even though you are from the royal family of Suna, that doesn't mean that Teuchi-san will think you're worthy of his daughter." Yoshino said one morning while packing him a bento. "What we need to do is find out where his head is, find out why he dislikes you so much. I will go today to see my friend, Kabayashi Iku, his sister-in-law, and see what she says. I don't want you going to the ramen bar until we have a plan." She handed him his lunch, "now hurry. You don't want to be late!"

As he walked through town, Kankuro couldn't help but mutter "troublesome..."

That afternoon, he made his way to the outside area where the teachers who brought their lunch ate. He found Gaara's old student, Matsuri in deep discussion with Sarutobi Kurenai as to the best way to instruct students in the Bunshin no Jutsu.

"Oi, Kankuro-san," The younger girl called noticing his arrival. "What are you doing here?"

Kankuro sat down and opened his bento.

"I'm staying with Shikamaru's parents for awhile, Nara Yoshino made lunch," he held up the rice ball in his hand. Kurenai nodded while Matsuri bit into an apple.

"Good idea getting used to the people who will undoubtedly become family," the Jonin smiled.

"You don't know the half of it," Kankuro grumbled as Matsuri laughed.

"Any word on when those two will make it official?" She asked, "I mean it took them long enough to get together." The trio spent the rest of their break discussing the odds on the Ambassador and her escort getting married within the next ten years. They all agreed that if it was left up to him it might never happen.

"Tactical Genius he may be, but Kami, is he lazy when it comes to anything else. Not to say his heart isn't in the right place. Asuma used to find it funny the things that would actually motivate him." She shook her head sighing.

o-o-o

On his way home that afternoon, Kankuro felt weird not stopping by Ichiraku Ramen. He wouldn't get to see Ayame. Hear her laugh, or feel her father's death glare. Taking a page out of Shikamaru's book, he sat down on a bench in the shopping district, wrote a quick note, placed it and some money in a pouch and walked over to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. He grinned as he left the shop unseen, Ino's father still hadn't repaired the bell.

o-o-o

That evening, while eating his way through his fourth helping of ramen, Uzumaki Naruto noticed the delicate bouquet of snowdrops in a pale blue vase.

"Hey old man, who sent you flowers?" He grinned.

Teuchi grunted and pointed at Ayame who blushed.

"A delivery person brought them from the flower shop. There was no card, it's a mystery." She said, though she did have a pretty good idea who sent them.

"Well, it better not have been Inuzuka Kiba, that's for sure!" There was a strange glint in Naruto's eyes. "If he thinks he going to send flowers to another girl while he's seeing Sakura-chan...well he's got another thing coming. Believe it!"

Naruto slammed his fist into his hand and stared off into space gritting his teeth. Ayame looked at her father with wide eyes, and even Teuchi looked alarmed. After a few moments Naruto came back to himself and asked for another bowl of ramen.

Across town, Nara Yoshino was doing something that would surely shock her son. She was giggling. Kankuro had just told her what he'd done while helping her prepare dinner. Shikaku kept glancing up from his reports to watch the co-conspirators.

"That was a very good idea, describing what you wanted the flowers to symbolize instead of trying to pick them out yourself. Yamanaka Asuka knows the language of flowers. Ayame-chan will love whatever she puts together."

Kankuro nodded. Ayame should have gotten them by now, he just hoped she realized who they were from.

"Now," Yoshino continued, "I spoke to my friend, Kabayashi Iku. She suggested that since Shikaku and I are acting as your hosts that one of us, preferably Shikaku should speak to Teuchi-san on your behalf." She paused to look over at Shikaku who was buried in a stack of reports.

"Do you hear me otto? Will you be able to speak to Teuchi-san for Kankuro-chan?"

"Hai woman," he replied standing up and stretching before nodding to Kankuro. "Are you sure getting to know this girl is worth the trouble?"

Kankuro smiled.

"It better be, I've given up everything including my freedom."

Shikaku laughed. Just wait, he thought.

"Alright then. I'll speak to him when I have some time tomorrow. Don't be surprised if he doesn't agree. It may take several tries, and you will have to behave in an exemplary fashion until that time. Are you sure about this?"

"Hai Ojisan."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: In the last chapter I made Kurenai a teacher at the academy. Obviously that was after Asuma's death and the birth of their baby. I figured it would be easier for her to become a teacher than to go on missions while her baby was little. Anyways...last chapter. I'm working on a new story now that will continue these adventures, as well as a few others.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anyone/thing in this story except for a few random OC's

**Chapter: 3**

There was no school the next day, and rather than fret over Shikaku's conversation with Teuchi, Kankuro got out his puppets and started work on some much needed repairs and modifications. An adjustment here, sharpening a blade there, making sure that joint didn't stick. It had been a few weeks since he'd done anything to them, spare time had been hard to come by lately. Between teaching, Ayame, paperwork, Ayame, hanging out with his fellow shinobi, and Ayame, the puppets had been fairly neglected.

It felt good to get back to the basics of who he was, to regain his focus. He was a Shinobi of the Sand, and as much as he liked Ayame, he wouldn't die if her father completely forbid him from seeing her. He shook his head while tightening an elbow joint on Karasu. Konoha must have something in it's water. He couldn't remember ever feeling more like a wuss. He'd messed around with plenty of girls in Suna, beautiful girls even, yet he'd never had this type of reaction to them. Not that Ayame wasn't beautiful, Kankuro acknowledged to himself that she had the most beautiful smile, and her laugh...

No. She was not the type of girl someone like him should even attempt to pursue. She was too delicate, too nice, and frankly, as beautiful as it was, she smiled too much. She was all wrong for him. He needed someone hard, a strong kunoichi who understood his lifestyle. He briefly wondered if the rumors about that Tenten and Hyuuga Neji were true. He smirked, better wait until he got back to Sunagakure. Only six more months on this teaching exchange, why did he ever agree to this? He was a mercenary, he enjoyed the kill, what possessed him to come play teacher to a bunch of wussy Konoha brats?

Best to forget about Ayame. She could never understand him, it would never work between them.

o-o-o

He'd been locked in Shikamaru's old room for most of the day, working on his puppets and talking himself out of his feelings for Ayame when there was a knock at the door. The wrench he was holding fell to the floor as he froze.

"Kankuro-chan?" Came Yoshino's voice through the door, "Shikaku is back and would like to speak with you in the kitchen."

Kankuro stood as he heard her walk away.

"Whatever the answer, it doesn't matter. I'm a Shinobi of the Sand, son of Yondaime Kazekage, and brother to Godaime Kazekage. The approval of a ramen cook doesn't matter to me," he muttered to himself. He opened the door, pulled up his hood and squared his shoulders.

When he entered the kitchen he looked at Shikaku who was leaning against one of the counters. Yoshino stood with her back to him at the sink washing cabbage for dinner. The older shinobi's face betrayed nothing. Kankuro didn't say anything, just raised his eyebrows.

"It went as I expected," Shikaku sighed. Yoshino paused and looked at her husband, Kankuro nodded and turned to leave.

"Until I reminded him of the, ah, indiscretions he committed as a young man."

Kankuro stopped and turned to see Shikaku grinning.

"He agreed that young men, especially young shinobi who stare death in the face regularly, deserve the opportunity to make up for any stupid decisions they make. He also agreed that Ayame is more than old enough to decide for herself who she would like to spend her time with."

Yoshino covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide, and looked from her husband to Kankuro. The young man couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Shikaku scratched his chin before continuing.

"If you are in agreement that Teuchi-san or I will act as chaperone until such time that you have fully gained his trust, then you have his permission to spend time with his daughter. Based on our converstion last night, I took it upon myself to agree in your stead." Kankuro's face hadn't changed, and Shikaku raised his eyebrows, "you haven't changed your mind have you?"

Kankuro looked at his feet. He'd spent the last several hours steeling himself against rejection. Never did he think that the grumpy oni would agree so quickly. He looked at Shikaku smirking.

"His indiscretions..."

Shikaku raised a hand stopping him.

"Were far worse than anything you've done, and that's all I'll say. If he wants to tell you at some point, then that's his business. Until then, you know nothing. Understand?"

Kankuro nodded, he still couldn't believe it.

"Kankuro-chan, this is wonderful news!" Yoshino smiled.

"Hai," the Puppet Nin's face finally cracked into a smile. "Hai, this is great news. I, uh, wow. Arigatou Ojisan. Arigatou Obasan." He bowed and then started to go back to the bedroom.

"Oi!" Shikaku called after him, "Teuchi-san will be here with Ayame next Saturday at six o' clock!"

Kankuro's smile had morphed into a toothy grin.

"Hai, Ojisan. Arigatou!"

o-o-o

When they heard the bedroom door close, Yoshino turned to her husband.

"You used the pictures didn't you? Iku said they would probably work."

Shikaku started laughing.

"Took all the high and mighty wind right out of his sails."

"Did he ask where you got them from?"

"He was so drunk that night, he barely has any memory of it. I convinced him I was there when it happened, told him I was the one who took the pictures."

They laughed for a bit before Yoshino wrapped her arms around her husband.

"You know this means I'm four for four now?" She smiled up at him.

"No. Shikamaru, Kiba, Kankuro." He counted off on his fingers, "sorry, that's only three."

"Shikamaru, Kiba, Kankuro, and **Shikaku**. Or have you forgotten baka?" She stood on her toes and kissed her husband.

Loud, bossy, and yet tender to the man she loves. Shikaku sighed as Yoshino deepened the kiss. One day Shikamaru would understand.

o-o-o**OWARI**o-o-o


End file.
